Measure Twice, Cut Once

As I've mentioned previously I've been pretty frustrated with my treatment so far.  It's been over seven weeks since my surgery and the pain in my throat around and below my tongue has been getting worse while the pain in the area that my tonsils were removed from has practically disappeared.  This has been leading me to suspect that the cancer is in or near my lingual tonsil.

Today I scheduled an appointment with my second ENT for Dec. 1st, earliest availability.  I also called my first ENT to hopefully get in to see him sooner to maybe go over things with him and have him examine me again to hopefully get some answers.  He's booked out even further.  I asked one of his staff if she could ask him to confirm where he saw a nodule/tag when he first scoped me.  I'm not sure if it was in my Palatine tonsil or further down.  He's been pretty good at calling me in the past so I'm hoping he'll call me tomorrow.

So then I decided to look over my PET and CT scan images.  What I noticed shocked me.  From the images it was pretty obvious to me that the tumor was not in the area of my Palatine tonsil like the radiologists report indicated, but in or near my lingual tonsil.  It's pretty clear, the images show the tongue and the "hotspot" is below it right next to my matasticized lymph node.

I immediately emailed my ENT and Oncologist a note with a copy of the image.  I haven't heard back from my Oncologist yet by my ENTs MA emailed me back and said that the doctor would have to see the image CDs himself to make a determination.  What the what!!! They told me way back in September that they would be obtaining the image CDs themselves and I signed paperwork giving them permission to receive copies.  Now they're saying they never got them!  Why wasn't I informed?  I would have happily made copies and personally delivered them.  Why would he have performed the surgery without confirming the radiologists findings? WTF!? Ever hear of "measure twice, cut once"?

If I am correct in my suspicions, that the images indicate the tumor is in my Lingual tonsil and not my Palatine, that the radiologist screwed up the report, I will seriously consider pursuing a malpractice lawsuit.  For having undergone the wrong surgery as well as the pain and suffering that accompanied recovery, for delaying my treatment/cure, distress and anxiety for having undergone a procedure in which nothing was found, the pain and anxiety I'm feeling now which would have been prevented had I had the correct procedure performed instead.

Just trying to get my doctors to look at the images and get confirmation.  I just want to be cured of this cancer.  Just do your due diligence and do your effing job.  Find it, kill it, and give me my life back.

I'm gonna contact my radiation oncologist tomorrow too just to see if he ever got the CDs and see if he needs me to bring him by copies.

At this point, if it is in my lingual tonsil, not sure what treatment I'll pursue.  I believe my ENT said it's a 45 minute surgery.  If that's the case I'll probably go that route.  Not looking forward to getting cut up, again.  Will consider radiation/chemo too.  I just wish I could get some answers so I can move forward with treatment.